Wild Horse of the Dúnedain
by Nicaeus
Summary: After an unplanned dimensional trip Ranma wakes up in the middle of a forest on the island of Númenor. Now he has a dilemma to solve as he finds himself tangled in the long war of elves and men against the minions of dark lord Sauron. RanmaLotr crossover


Disclaimer: All copyrighted material is property of their respective owners. I own nothing. This work is merely to show my appreciation to the original creators.

"words" - Japanese, Westron, Adunaic etc. Mannish languages.

"_words_" - Sindarin

"_**words**_" - Quenya

' ' - thoughts

Author´s (a bit too long) foreword: I highly recommend that you read at least the first chapter of my other story "Silence of the Dragon" before reading this. It might (or then, might not) clear things a bit. Both fics are part of larger series and I hope I can soon release the parts that precede those already written (I´ll do so after I´ve got them suitably written down). Now on to the story and do not forget to read the A/N at the end for explanations of certain oddities in the story.

--

The first thing he saw was the grey sky, the first thing he felt was the rain that dropped from the heavens and made him thoroughly wet. As his wits came to him Ranma realized he was lying on a soft spot of grass in the middle of a forest. He ached all over as if he'd gone a few rounds with a seriously pissed off Ryoga, or taken a mallet induced flight. Or maybe both. Worst pain was on his forehead and as he touched it he winced a bit. It definitely was bruised and felt like someone had whacked him VERY hard with a VERY heavy blunt object.

"Where the hell am I now?" He muttered as he, with some difficulty, stood up and regarded his surroundings. As far as he could see there was nothing but pine forest in every direction. Last that he remembered he´d been eating ice cream with Tomoe Hotaru, a friend that he´d found some time after he and his father had arrived from China. She was a good friend and even better was the fact that she did not try to mallet him, glomp him or yell at him like the other girls did. He had no idea how he´d ended up in where he now was and where Hotaru was. Former was nothing new. He´d ended up in unknown places before and had managed to get back in Nerima just fine before. However Hotaru´s whereabout caused a concern, since she propably was the only true friend he had besides Ukyo, who´d become a bit too absorbed in being his fiancee and not his friend like the wedding fiasco clearly showed.

So first things first Ranma decided and began walking to a random direction with the intention of finding his missing friend. "Hotaru! Hotaru, where are you?! C´mon girl. This aint funny!" He called around but heard no reply. Only sound besides him was the rustling of leaves and branches in the wind and underfoot as he walked around. Also, here and there several little animals scurried away as he approached but there was no sign or sound of her anywhere.

Ranma continued to call her for a while becoming thoroughly soaked in the process by the rain. Finally he gave up. ´This is dumb. I ain´t gonna find her like this. Propably best go and find someone and ask if they´re seen her. Now which direction should I take.´

Just the he realized something. It was raining, hard enough to trigger his curse. He, however was still male. This realization distracted him and so he did not watch where he was going and slipped as he stepped on a pile of slippery wet leaves. He ended up, face first, in a small pool of water that had formed on the forest floor.

Sputtering water, greatly annoyed, he lifted himself up all the while expecting the gender chance. As it did not come, he stood up amazed and double checked himself. As he found out that he was still male a wide grind formed on his face. "Yes. It´s gone," he shouted in glee and then sneezed violently. ´Crap. I´ve been too long in the rain. Gotta find some dry wood and make a fire or sumthing.´ So he wandered forward, having picked a western direction and came to witness an unpleasant scene.

--

At the front of a small cottage at a border of a small clearing in the woods three armored men were roughing up fourth.

The most regal of the three men, who was holding the captured fourth snarled at his captive."So, Imrahil, I heard you´ve been hosting some of those accursed pointy-ears. What was their business in here? You know perfectly well that their kind is not welcome here. Talk, in the name of king Ar-Gimilzôr."

Imrahil spat on his captors face. "I have nothing to say to you, Gimilkhâd, Dog of Armenelos. I am loyal to the Elder King and Eru. You and your father have turned away from him. I will not talk."

One of the other men watching their lord interrogating this arrogant elf-friend bastard shouted angrily and showed his dagger in Imrahil´s guts. Imrahil shouted in pain and slumped forward as if dead.

"You idiot! We can´t get anything out of a corpse," he said throwing the body of Imrahil to the ground. "I will ..." His sentence was left unfinished as they heard an angry howl from the edge of a forest and spun looking at the direction swords drawn.

--

Ranma´s mood wasn´t very good as he wandered forward thoroughly wet and sneezing periodically, he also felt a bit feverish. He was definitely going to get sick and knew that it would be imperative to get somewhere dry and warm very soon.

He´d walked for almost eight hours in the rain as he came to a clearing and saw a cottage resting on the other edge. He started to walk to the hut but stopped as he saw what was going on at the front of the cottage.

Now, several men roughing up one man was far from fair. That enough got Ranma running to the aid of the lone man but then he saw how one of the men pulled a knife and gutted the man he was going to save. Something snapped inside him at the sight of such cold-blooded act. He let out a wild cry of rage and charged the trio of men heedless of the fact that they had managed to draw their swords and turn towards him, alerted by his shout.

The resulting battle was very short. The man who had pulled the knife got the worst assault from Ranma who did not held anything back. Everyone heard how his bones cracked as Ranma unleashed several hundred hits at Amaguriken speed at him and then kicked his stomach so hard that he crashed against the cottage wall and slumped in a heap to the ground. The ringmail armor he wore, primarily designed against cutting weapons, offered very little protection against such fury.

Gimilkhâd, suprised by the onslaught of this strange young man who resembled an easterling he´d seen when he visited in Umbar, recovered his wits quickly enough and swung his sword at the attackers flank, drew blood and was revarded with a vicious backhand sending him to the ground weaponless as his sword flew from his hand.

The third man attempted to attack Ranma from behind but his attack was stopped by a lightning fast roundhouse kick that sent him stumbling without balance. Unfortunately for him he fell, face first, straight on the sword that Gimilkhâd had dropped and was killed instantly. Gimilkhâd saw this and impressed by the skill of the assailant decided that discretion was a better part of valor as both of his men were quite obviously dead and he did not desire same fate.

Ranma turned towards the fleeing man but a tug on his leg stopped him. He glanced down and saw that Imrahil, barely alive had taken a hold of his pants. "Please, the Palantiri must be brought to Valandil son of lord of Andúnië. They´re in a crate hidden in the woods nearby. Please. You must do it. Go to west, to Andúnië, before the Kings Men find them," he weakly whispered coughing up an unhealthy amount of blood.

"Uh, no. Wait a bit. I´ll go and find someone who can fix ya," Ranma, brought out of his blood-fury, answered.

"It is no use. There's no healer for many leagues in any direction. My body is far too broken for such a journey. Please, do as I said." These were his last words as he closed his eyes and his hand dropped besides him. Only moment later he drew his last breath and laid still.

Ranma, horrified, jerked himself away from the dead body of Imrahil and then noticed the two other corpses, one against the wall and one lying in a pool of his own blood nearby. He merely stared at the bodies without moving for a long while.

Now, Ranma was accustomed to fighting. Many a times even so that blood had flown in the battle. However aside of Saffron he had never killed anybody or firsthand seen a body of someone killed in bloody combat. This combined with his slight fever left him in rather shaken state.

--

Next time Ranma was able to understand what was happening around him he found himself collapsed on the ground and that night had come. He was cold, wet and numb both inside and outside. Still his well honed survival instincts kicked in and he dragged himself in the cottage, got a fire started in the small fireplace and collapsed on the bed that he found sitting in the corner.

For several days Ranma then wandered between deep sleep and fevered delirium, haunted by unpleasant dreams and visions, untill the fever lowered and he was awoken by a bright morning light some three days after the fight in front of the cottage. He was very thirsty and felt quite weak but otherwise fine. After he had satisfied his thirst and hunger for now with some water, bread, vegetables and other things he´d found by searching the kitchen-section of the cottage, he stepped outside.

The bodies lay still there where they had dropped, although by now they were in a bit worse shape. Ranma let out a sigh and dragged them behind the house where he then began digging three graves with a shovel he had found. It was long and tedious work and he felt quite bad about killing the two men even if they had killed the third man themselves.

When the task was finished it was nearly evening. He stayed for a while praying for whatever kami would hear him to guide the souls of these three men. After that he sat on the front of the cottage, deep in thought, staring at the woods until the night came.

--

For the rest of the night he was like this. Staring at the woods trying to comprehed that he´d taken the life of another human being. He had lost control, something he was angry at himself. With Saffron it had been a conscious choise, but was it any different. Martial artist were not killers. That propably meant he wasn´t a martial artist anymore, hadn't been for some time if he was honest with himself. But what did it make him then?

Then the sunrise came and he was distracted from his thoughts by the show of colors. Suddenly he remembered something he´d forgotten in his self-pity. Hotaru was still missing. Until he´d confirmed otherwise there was a good chance that whoever had dragged him in this damned woodland had done something to Hotaru, too. After all they had been eating ice-cream together and now he was alone. Now he became very concerned as the girl in question had a very bad endurance and so if she truly was somewhere in the woods she'd be in big trouble.

Then the task that the dead guy had asked for him to do was brought in his mind. He figured out that he would get better results in finding Hotaru if someone helped him and he could always ask for help after bringing these Palwhatsis to that Andúnië place. Surely they would help him. Even if he was not a martial artist anymore he would still abide the Code. Hotaru was a person in need of help and he´d be damned if he couldn´t help her.

Briskly, he went in to the woods and began searching the area Imrahil had indicated. He had no idea what Palantiri were but they seemed important enough to die for so he searched with a fervour until he found a patch of grass that seemed to moven recently. Below it the earth was obviously been digged and filled only some time ago. Ranma went back to the cottage, took the shovel he´d used to dig the graves and began to remove the earth on top of the crate he suspected was lying underground. Soon enough he hit something hard and after removing a thin layer of earth he found the crate. It was made of some type of wood he´d never seen before. Light in color and weight but very sturdy. As he tried to move the crate, however he discovered that the contains of the crate were far from light. He dragged the crate carefully to the ground level but almost killed himself as the loose earth below his feet slipped away and nearly felled him. What he had thought was rock or tightly packed earth below him was in fact a crystalline surface, quite smooth and slippery and oddly entrancing.

As he had slipped the crate had tumbled over and opened. Several smooth orbs of the same crystalline substance that was below him had rolled away from the crate and were now resting on the root of a nearby tree.

Curious, Ranma reached to one of the orbs. Immediately as his hand touched it he felt like his consciousness was yanked away from his body and that he was floating high in the sky. The woods below him seemed to reach far and wide. As he turned around he saw other landforms and features. There was seashore nearby in north and another in southwest further away. The ground seemed to become more hilly and rugged in northeast and in the horizon he spotted several mountains, he also spotted a small city in the distance. In the west he spotted a large city next to the ocean, probably Andúnië as it was in the west. A tall tower that seemed to reach the sky was to the south of the city. To the east of him there was a mountain so tall and massive that it dominated the entire landscape with its heaven-reaching form.

Ranma knew he was not in Japan anymore.

´Crap. what´s this place. And where´s Hotaru-chan.´ As Ranma had thought this his consciousness shifted and now he was watching a scene where a girl, who looked very much like hotaru, although clad in strange clothes was eating with bunch of bearded guys, thirteen short one tall who looked very old. A guy with curly hair and hairy feet was bringing the food for others to eat. Hotaru, if that was her seemed to be enjoying herself. She was laughing with the tall bearded guy who was telling some sort of story as far as Ranma could figure it out.

Then the vision was over. Ranma´s hand dropped from the orb´s surface and he took a step back. "Damn it. I hate these magical trinkets. Nuthin´ but trouble. Well at least if that was Hotaru-chan she looked like she was safe. I just hope that old guy ain´t some kind of pervert. And if it was him who hit me on the face I´m gonna pound him into a paste."

--

Ranma took off his shirt and used it to gather the orbs back to the crate without touching them as he figured that he´d be safe from them if he didn´t make skin contact.. Each of them was about a foot in diameter although their sizes varied a bit and they were quite heavy for their size. Then he glanced to the hole he had dug. The smooth surface on the bottom was propably another of those damn balls, just bigger one than the rest. A lot bigger.

"Aw, to hell with it. I´m not gunna drag all this this crap to that city. I´ll take one and tell them where the rest are. Yah, that´s what I´m gonna do," Ranma cried out, grabbed the smallest orb with his shirt and brought it inside of the cottage. Then he went back to the crate, hauled it back to the hole and filled it until it was in the same condition from which he´d found it. Some leaves, grass and sticks on top of it and it looked fine enough to leave like that in Ranma´s mind. Nobody was going to find the spot if they didn´t know where to search.

--

Ranma turned the cottage upside down trying to find everything useful for his trip. That city looked like it was at least several days trip away so he needed food. Some spare clothes would be nice although the late owner of the cottage had been quite a lot taller than him so his clothes would not fit too well. He draped the Palantir to one shirt that he found and put at the bottom of the backpack that had been resting on the floor. A hunting knife would come in handy so he took it too. Then finally he spotted a regal looking sword in the corner of the room. Obviously it´s previous owner had not been able to get it before the trouble struck. He eyed it for a while and the decided to take it along. He did not want to use it in a fight. He preferred hand-to-hand and would be far more careful in future so that mishap in the last fight would not occur again. His leg, although by now completely healed was still sore. No, he would change the sword for money since he didn´t find any in the cottage. Ranma grimaced. He´d propably buried the dead guys´ money with them and he wouldn´t start digging the graves open just fort that. He wasn't like the greedy Panda. Finally, he took a heavy cape that would keep him from getting wet or overly dirty.

Finally, he was ready to leave. He took a look of his surroundings, turned and began walking along a path that he had spotted a day before. It led to southwest and he figured that if he used it he´d find a road that would lead to Andúnië.

--

About a day and a half later Ranma had managed to find a road that led westward and was now travelling it. He was keeping his hood down after couple of incidents where people he met got freaked out because of his skin color and he had had to knock them out and escape from the scene to not attract any more attention. At least now he didn´t draw too much suspicion anymore. The travellers he came across merely glanced at him and went on their way without much fuss as many of them had also their hoods down as it was mid autumn and the rainy weather seemed to be frequent.

Today however seemed to be a nice weather and so Ranma decided to go swimming in a small river he´d seen nearby. He was nearing Andúnië and being fresh and at least somewhat clean was a bonus when dealing with people of high status as he´d found out during his travels with his father.

So, he dropped his travelling gear on the riverbank undressed and dived into the water mostly oblivious to everything else than the nice feeling of water on his skin. He´d always like swimming before getting his curse, well, except when he had to swim across the sea of Japan. That had been pain but this was nice as the water was just perfectly cool and not cold.

--

Lady Míriel, daughter and only child of the crown prince Inziladûn hopped off of her horse and straightened her legs. The ride from Armenelos had been quite long especially as she had refused a carriage, feeling that she and her maids were in need of some exercise. Now, after several days of riding she was quite sore and welcomed the pause.

"Don´t wander too far away, my lady. We should not tarry overmuch as we are already near of my grandfather's holdings. Just a hour of riding or so," Elendil, grandson of the lord of Andúnië, her current guardian and a distant cousin, said.

She smiled at him. Despite being a courteous he was also very tall and handsome and she had thought to ask if her father would approve him as son-in-law, although that would be several years in future as she was only eighteen and he sixteen and among Dunedain they were considered almost children still. "Forgive me, Elendil. I have not ridden like this before and I feel I need a brief respite."

Elendil smiled back at her, nodded and got himself off of his horse. Miriel was an interesting person, he´d found out. At first one got an impression of beautiful, soft spoken girl that usually withdrew to the backround and liked to do things that women usually did like sewing and gardening. However, he had had a chance to talk with her in more free environment that the court of Armenelos was and he´d found out that she was deeply interested in philosophy and literature like he himsef was in those times he had from the arms training. He had managed to persuade her father to give her a chance to visit her relatives in Andúnië and thus give him a chance to know her better as he had no chance and no wish to stay in Armenelos, for the king did not have too favourable mind towards his kin or other Faithful, they were tolerated, barely.

Now he followed from a respectful distance as Miriel and her maidens took a stroll alongside the riverbank to get rid of the cramps and numbness in their legs. There were many pretty women in that group, although none were as interesting as Miriel was.

His thoughts were interrupted as he noticed that the ladies were transfixed staring at something. He got curious and approached the riverbank and was treated with a sight of butt-naked Easterling boy rising from the river. He acted on instinct. Easterlings were evil men, in the service of the dark lord Sauron. Who knew how this fellow had managed to get in Numenor. His intention was quite clear though. He was here to harm Miriel.

"HALT, MONGREL! I SHALL NOT HAVE IT! YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HER, YOU DAMN BASTARD!" He bellowed as he ran towards the easterling sword drawn. The women scattered in every direction away from the ensuing battle.

--

Ranma had just finished his bathing and was rising from the river as he saw something far too familiar. Several girls were gawking at him just next to where he had left his clothes and gear.

´Eep. Now I´m gonna get it. They´ll pound me dead for being a pervert. Especially that one in front looks very pissed.´Of course Ranma being Ranma had misjudged the entire situation. The court ladies were far from pissed. Their expressions could more accurately be described as hungry and then disappointed as Ranma noticed them and covered himself.

"HALT, MONGREL! I SHALL NOT HAVE IT! YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HER, YOU DAMN BASTARD!" Ranma´s head snapped instantly to the direction where the shouting came and he saw a very tall man, clad in very polished armor waving a very sharp looking sword running at his direction. Another way too familiar situation. Wasn´t he safe from the jealous suitor anywhere. With his luck one of those girls was his fianceé, damn pops to hell, and she naturally had a male admirer, worse yet, this one almost sounded like Kuno. He snapped in combat stance and waited the armored man to come to him.

--

A/N: Timewise, if you already haven´t figured it out, this fic is situated several thousand years in the past from the time of the Silence of the Dragon. I said in the A/N of the SoD´s first chapter that Ranma was locked in female form. I had a slight chance in the plan and now you see a Ranma without his curse at the start of this fic. Read further in SoD and you may guess why. Anyhow, I´m propably giving the curse back to him, after all Ranma without curse is not Ranma. Hotaru and some other SM elements may be mentioned later on but this fic concentrates fully on Ranma.


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